Sparks (Things We Lose Trilogy: Book 2)
by ClaryKate
Summary: Sirius Black has left his extremist and oppressive family for the warm, welcoming refuge of the Potters'. Returning to Hogwarts, Sirius and his friends find that atrocities wrought upon the Wizard and Muggle communities alike are becoming all to common. They must choose to stand and fight. Trouble is coming for Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, and sparks will fly.
1. Down By The Gate

A dark figure appeared in front of the gate of Number Seven, Lurtward Lane. It appeared to be a boy, in his later teens. The heavy rain fell from the night sky and pattered onto the boy's jacket. He had dark hair hiding his face, but had there not been, anyone would see he was not in a good way. He had dark circles beneath his grey eyes, and his jeans were torn in several places and stained with blood. He was soaked through to the skin and his T-shirt clung to him in the wet. He appeared to be holding an old sort of travelling trunk beside him, and he had a stick of wood clenched tightly in his hand.

The boy stood there for a moment. He started to sway dangerously, right before he collapsed into the mud.

 **##**

James Potter was jerked unceremoniously from his dreams by a loud rapping on his bedroom door. He sat up and ruffled his jet-black hair in confusion before reaching over to his bedside table and putting his glasses on. He turned the nob on his gas lamp and light flickered into life, spreading across his room.

"James!", called his mother from the other side of the door, "James, I need you to come downstairs for a minute. It's very important".

Concern suddenly filled James. His mother sounded anxious and worried. What had happened? His mind turned straight to thoughts of menacing Death Eaters, but a moment later, the thought seemed almost ridiculous. However, he grabbed his wand from the bedside table and walked over to the door. He opened it.

"Mum? What's wrong?" James asked.

"Nothing is wrong dear, but there is someone in the lounge room to see you", without any other explanation, James's mother beckoned him down the hall way.

James followed her downstairs to the second floor, where they entered the lounge room. He looked around in the semi-darkness to see his father sitting on a wooden stool next to the couch. The older man seemed worried. Lying on the couch, clearly unconscious, was-

"Sirius!" exclaimed James.

"Shhhh", warned his mother before whispering, "I was wondering if you knew what he is doing here".

"Did you invite him over without telling us?" asked James's father.

"No. I mean, I have no idea why he's here", James replied urgently, "Let alone why he got here at this time of the morning".

It was still dark outside, and since there was no glow of dawn on the horizon, it was probably about half past one in the morning. James walked over and examined the limp form of his best friend. He noticed that Sirius was sopping wet and dripping water all over the brown leather of the couch and the dark red carpet. His jeans were ripped and covered in blood. His face had a deep cut under his high left cheek bone. Sirius's trunk stood by the door, and his wand was on the little wooden coffee table in front of the couch.

"What happened?" he asked, shocked.

"We found him out the front by the gate", said his mother.

"I got up to get a glass of water", started James's father, "And I looked out the window. I thought I saw someone out there. I watched and saw that I was right. So I went out the door and was heading down the path with an umbrella. I was about to call out to him, but he collapsed. I only just brought him in".

"Anyway, no matter why he's here, we'd better get him cleaned up, he's in a right mess", observed James's mother.

James's father left the room and went down to the kitchen. He was going to bring up some food, in case Sirius was hungry when he woke up. James's mother set about her work. Euphemia Potter had been a Healer at Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies before her retirement. She had seen far worse and was confident in her abilities. She started by healing the cuts and grazes on Sirius's legs. She then moved onto the gash in his face. James watched with interest as his mother used a spell to cover the wound, the skin knitting itself back together. She didn't close the wound fully, and James had learned that it was healthier if it healed some of itself. Apart from having the abrasions on his legs gone, Sirius looked like he had fallen down a mountain side that was covered in brambles. All without brushing his hair, or sleeping for the past two days.

After James's mother had done all she could, she left and went back up to bed. James's father brought up a plate of toast and bacon. James heard him stump off to his study, where he usually went to think.

James sat across the room from Sirius, on one of the chintz chairs. He slowly dozed off into an uneasy sleep. When he woke up, he saw the faint sunlight of the early morning shining through the curtains.

James sat bolt upright when he heard Sirius mumbling. His best friend rolled over and his eyes flickered open.


	2. Living at The Potters'

Sirius opened his eyes. His vision was blurry. He blinked a few times and it cleared. He noticed he had a shocking head ache, and his body hurt all over. He groaned as he rolled over on the couch. A couch. He was lying on somebody's couch.

He sat up suddenly, and his head throbbed painfully. He was in a sunlit room. It seemed strangely familiar. The cream coloured curtains, the couch he was on, the deep red carpet, and the boy sitting in the corner of the room across form him. His glasses were lopsided on his face as he dozed. His black hair was extremely ruffled and messy looking. It was James Potter. He was lying on the Potters' couch in the Potters' house.

Why he was there he had no clue. He threw off the blanket that was covering his legs.

"Ah!" he was surprised to see his jeans had been cut shorter to reveal scratches all over his lower legs.

Sirius slowly shifted around on the couch. He saw a plate of toast and bacon sitting on a small coffee table in the middle of the room. Sirius leapt off the couch and grabbed the plate, before slumping back down and stuffing his face. He was so hungry, he knew he would need more food than this. Sirius looked around slowly to see James in the chair, smiling at him.

"Hello, your finally awake!" said James, who was still in his pajamas.

"Mrumph", replied Sirius through a mouthful of bacon.

"That was my breakfast you know", said James.

"What?" said Sirius, "Sorry, I was just so hungry, and tired and- Why the ruddy hell am I in your lounge room?!"

"That's what I was wondering", said James slowly, "Dad was in the kitchen last night and he saw you out the front near the gate. Then you collapsed. Anyway, he brought you in and put you on the couch. Mum healed you up a bit and Dad brought you some food from the kitchen. Which is not my breakfast by the way, I was just messing with you. So I sat in here and waited for you to wake up, but you didn't, so I fell asleep. There was one point were you woke me up, moaning in your sleep. But I dozed off again. But now you're finally awake, you can give me some answers".

Memories came flooding back into Sirius's head, his long two-day journey from his parents' house. Falling down the hill-side, the Knight Bus, and finally arriving in front of the Potters' house. After that he must have blacked out.

After he had left Grimmauld Place, he had walked out of London. With his broom at James's house and not able to apparate yet, Sirius just had to go on foot. He had traveled through the night. During the next day, he had gone through the countryside. By then he had decided to go to the only place he knew he would be welcome, the Potter's. After a night and day of walking he had grown extremely tired, tired enough that he could have collapsed at any given moment. But he kept moving.

He had been walking along side a main road. The woods that lay next to the road were situated on a steep hill. While he was walking, Sirius had noticed something moving between the trees. He kept walking but it repeatedly caught his eye. He stepped off the road to see what it was. He wasn't entirely sure, but it had looked like a shining mask and a long, black cloak. Before he knew what was going on, he was tumbling down the hill.

He was unconscious for a while. But when he woke up, a large and violently purple triple-decker bus was next to him. It seemed he had rolled out onto a side-street behind the stretch of forest. He noticed his hand and wand had stretched out and into the gutter. A middle aged man had hopped out of the bus, wearing a purple uniform and started to speak. Sirius had realised the man was introducing himself and the service of the bus, which was called the Knight Bus. It had turned out that all you had to do to flag it down was to stick your wand out over the road, and the bus would magically transport you anywhere.

Sirius, who was in a very bad way by then, had managed to tell the man to take him to the Potters' residence. Once outside the Potters', he had walked through the gates. Fatigue had washed over him in great waves. The last thing he remembered was the muddy ground rushing up to meet him.

After Sirius explained this to James, his best friend looked really confused.

"So you're saying that you didn't know about the Knight Bus?" asked James in disbelief.

"Well, sorry, but my mother never took kindly to public transport", said Sirius, a little frustrated that he hadn't known, "I've never been on any sort vehicle, magical or not, especially not the Knight Bus".

"Right, well, fair enough", said James slowly, "But that thing, the mask or whatever, in the trees, that's just weird. Maybe I should ask Dad about it, he worked at the Ministry."

"Yeah, but in the Department of Experimental Charms", said Sirius, now convinced that he would never find out what the mask had been.

"It could have been a Boggart or something", said James, thinking, "You aren't scared of silvery masks are you?"

"Nope, not unless I know your face is behind it", laughed Sirius, suddenly feeling happy and light-hearted now he had had something to eat.

Before the boys could continue their conversation any further, James's mother, Mrs Potter, walked in, carrying some of James's clothes. Euphemia Potter was a tall, older woman, of thin willowy stature. She had caramel coloured hair and hazel eyes. James definitely resembled his father, having the same slight build and hair, but he had his mother's eyes.

"Sirius! You're awake", she said.

Mrs Potter put down the clothes and pulled Sirius into a bone crushing hug. Sirius was surprised at the sudden display of affection, but it felt good to have Mrs Potter give him a hug, he couldn't remember the last time he had shared one with his own mother.

"Dear, dear, we didn't know what to do with you. Showing up like that in the middle of the night", Mrs Potter had a look of worry in her eyes.

She was the closest thing Sirius had ever had to a real mother. She cared for him like a son, and he hated seeing her so concerned.

"I'm okay now, Mrs Potter", he smiled, "I really am."

"But you were in such a bad way last night when you got here", she continued, "What ever made you come all this way".

"Oh", said Sirius, he had not really wanted to tell her how he had run away from home, and how he had, in his somewhat deluded state, thought that he could live at the Potters', "I sort of had a falling out with my parents. It was pretty... bad. I'm really sorry to bother you. I can go somewhere else."

"You ran away from home?" Mrs Potter exclaimed, "Oh, Sirius, dear, you can stay here as long as you like, James won't mind sharing a room with you and there is plenty of room for one more here".

"Are you sure Mrs Potter?" Sirius asked.

"Of course I am", she stood up suddenly, "You're not even of age yet, not even seventeen. You have no money, and only a broomstick and a trunk full of clothes. You don't really think that I and James's father would let you out there on your own! No, Sirius, you're staying here, at least until you finish Hogwarts, and you will always be welcome. Besides, Chalky won't mind the extra work, gives her something to do."

Chalky was the Potter family House-Elf. Small and getting on in years, Mr and Mrs Potter had not wanted to place all their house work into the Elf's hands, but she was a gift from an aunt who no longer needed the help of an Elf. The Potter family didn't believe in keeping anyone to do work for them, but Chalky had become a member of the family, and when they had James rather late in their lives, Mr and Mrs Potter were glad of help around their home. James didn't mention Chalky that much any more, but Sirius could recall the times when James spoke of her with fondness in his voice.

"Thanks Mrs Potter", he said, extremely thankful, because he did really have no money, "Really, I don't know what else I could do".

Mrs Potter smiled warmly at him and handed him the clothes. She left the room. Sirius unfolded the pair of James's jeans and let them unravel. They were about five inches too short for him.

"Oh, and Mrs Potter?" he called out the doorway, "I might need some bigger clothes."

 **##**

Life at the Potters' was like nothing Sirius had ever experienced before. Mr and Mrs Potter were very lax when it came to house rules. As long as he and James kept their things tidy, they were pretty much allowed to do whatever they wanted. Sirius and James spent a lot of time down the back of the estate, in a large paddock, tossing a Quaffle around on their brooms. Chalky's cooking was amazing, and the food seemed to be endless. Sirius could get up at whatever time of day he liked. A privilege he abused quite a lot.

The thing he liked most was that he could finally breathe. Last year, when James had told Sirius to let everything go, he had tried. But he still had the weight of his family hanging over him. Now however, he was officially disowned. The Potters were the closest thing to family he had now, and he was making the most of it.

A few weeks went by and James and Sirius began to grow bored. It was all very well to throw the Quaffle around and wrestle it off each other mid-air, or head down to the Muggle village a little way off from the Potters' home and look around, but there was only so much of this they could do before the boys were over it.

James had the idea of inviting Remus and Peter over to stay a while, about a week. It would surely alleviate their boredom, coupled with the fact that they would arrive in time to celebrate Sirius's seventeenth birthday, which was arriving quickly.

James wrote to them, and they both sent back a yes.


	3. Seventeen

Sirius woke up and rolled over to look at his magical alarm clock. It was seven o'clock in the morning. Usually he wouldn't get up at a time this early, but today was special. It was his seventeenth birthday. He jumped out of bed and went over to James. Pointing his wand at his best friend he shouted, "Levicorpus!"

James was hoisted out form under his sheets by his ankle, kicking and yelling.

"What the Merlin am I doing up here?!" he shouted at Sirius.

"Being the victim of my newly authorised magic!" Sirius bellowed back, before lifting his wand and letting James fall back on his bed.

"Just because you've turned Seventeen today, doesn't mean you have to use magic any way you like", said James sternly, "It's irresponsible, you know".

"Good! I am irresponsible!" shouted Sirius excitedly, "And anyway, you're starting to sound like Moony, or even worse, _Evans_ ".

"I just don't like being dragged out of bed by my ankle at seven in the morning", James said quickly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say Prongs", smirked Sirius.

Sirius got changed (levitating his clothes out of the cupboard) and walked out of the room, closely followed by James. He stopped at the top of the staircase.

"What are you doing?" asked James, who was stuck behind him, "Are you going to go down?"

"Yes, in a matter of speaking", Sirius said mysteriously, before turning on the spot and appearing in the dining room with a loud bang.

"AH!" shrieked Mrs Potter, "Oh, Sirius, dear, you gave me quite a fright!"

"Sorry Mrs Potter, it won't happen again", he replied, before sitting down at the table.

"Stop showing off, Padfoot", James chastised, coming down the stairs.

"You're just jealous because you're not seventeen until March", Sirius said to him.

"Am not, you git", mumbled James as he sat down for breakfast too.

"That's enough James, be nice to Sirius, it's his birthday", Mrs Potter told her son, as she helped Chalky the House-Elf lift a plate of sausages onto the table.

Sirius pulled a face at James before pulling some bacon towards him and piling it onto his plate. Mr Potter walked in carrying a stack of presents.

"Here's the lot, there's one from each of us", said Mr Potter, clapping Sirius on the back.

Sirius reached out and grabbed a present with sparkling blue wrapping paper. He pulled back the luminous wrapping to see a box of broom care products.

"That one's form me", said James.

"Thanks, about time too", joked Sirius, "I bought you one three years ago!"

Next Sirius unwrapped Mrs Potter's present, to find a scratchy woolen cardigan sort of thing. It looked awful, and was a dull pinkish colour. Sirius didn't want to be rude, but he didn't think that he could find anything nice to say about it.

"It's my size!", he smiled with fake sincerity, stating the only honest thing about it he could without offending anyone.

"I'm glad you like it", she beamed, "That leather jacket of yours gives the wrong sort of impression. A lovely young man like you doesn't need to go around looking like a ruffian".

"Yes Mrs Potter, I see what you mean", he put the woolly thing aside and opened the last present, it was from Mr Potter.

Inside was a watch made of some kind of black metal. The face had little symbols inscribed in it, and the hands pointed out roman numerals around the edge. It was tradition for a wizard to receive a watch from his parents when he turned seventeen. James had told Sirius that he would receive his uncles old watch when he came of age, as it was a family heirloom. This gift touched Sirius deeply. It was the Potters' way of saying that they were his family.

"Thank you all so much", he said brightly.

After breakfast James and Sirius went back upstairs to their room.

"Here's something else for you", said James, and tossed Sirius a book.

Sirius opened it to find it was a book about motorbikes, it had all the newest models and makes from around the world. Some were sitting on a road. Others on a racetrack next to a Muggle girl, or a driver.

"It's brilliant!" said Sirius, he flipped through the pages, taking in all the colours and smooth aerodynamic lines of the different bikes.

This would have had to be the best birthday he could remember having.

 **##**

Remus arrived later that afternoon. A Muggle car pulled up out the front of the Potters'. It was old and a little rusty. Sirius knew that the Lupins didn't have much money, and this car was just another sad piece of evidence to the fact. The way Remus sometimes talked about it, it seemed that his parents, Lyall and Hope, had been doing okay before Remus was bitten. After that, they had spent their money trying to find a cure to their son's lycanthropy.

"Remus!" Sirius called to his friend, as the brown haired boy walked towards the front of the house.

"Hey guys!" said Remus when he reached them, he seemed particularly high spirited.

"Lucky you could come" said Sirius.

"Yeah, your furry little problem got the timing right for once!" laughed James, but Remus's smiled lessened by a fraction at the mention of his werewolfism.

"That rabbit of yours isn't still giving you trouble, is it?" asked Mrs Potter, who came out of the front door, pulling Remus into a tight hug.

Remus looked confused at her odd question, then remembering the cover-up story replied, "Yeah, well, Fluffy is getting better. He's a bit older now. But it seems he's becoming more senile and agitated by the minute".

"Bit like Sirius, really", said James quietly, making them all laugh.

"You're one to talk, you wear glasses!" said Sirius in his defense.

"But I'm so much better looking", smirked James, earning himself an elbow in the ribs form his best friend.

"Now, now, boys. Stop that nonsense", said Mrs Potter, as she lead the three boys back into the large house.

"Yeah, you're both just as ugly as one another!" Remus cracked a rare joke.

Remus left his suitcase in the hallway and followed Sirius, James and Mrs Potter out to the back of the house. They were now on the small wooden patio that had no roof, and opened on to the exquisite garden, filled with roses of every colour and variety, Sirius saw that Mrs Potter had left out a jug of Maxwell's Pink Lemonade, which tasted like a different pink coloured food with every sip, on a little white painted table, with matching beach chairs. Mrs Potter left the boys and went back inside.

Sirius poured himself a glass and leaned back in his chair. He sipped the lemonade, it tasted like-

"Urgh! Raw meet!" he cried in disgust, making James and Remus cackle with laughter.

"Fairy-floss, for me, because I'm awesome", said James, sipping the pink lemonade.

"Mmmm, watermelon", said Remus.

"Shame that chocolate isn't pink Remus", smiled Sirius, "They should invent a brown coloured drink and make it taste like brown things".

"Not such a good idea, Padfoot", said James, "I can think of something brown I wouldn't like to taste".

"Yeah, like what?" asked Sirius.

"Dragon dung, you idiot", James answered, before starting to chuckle through another sip of lemonade.

"James! Peter's here!" Mrs Potter's shout interrupted the sound of James's choking.

"Hey guys!" said Peter excitedly **.**

The smallest of the friends came through the back door and joined them on the patio. He poured himself a glass of lemonade.

 **##**

"And then you ended up falling down the stairs!" laughed Sirius loudly.

"Classic Lily", smiled Remus.

They were currently sitting down the back of the Potters' estate, sharing some Butterbeer and joking about. They were in a small meadow, with long grass that reached up past their ankles, and a short but steep drop to where a small stream wound around some rocks.

"Yeah, well, I've still got one more year to make her say yes!" said James in retort to Sirius's teasing.

"Really, Prongs", Sirius stood up and moved towards his friend, "Why don't we make a bet".

"Alright", said James.

"I bet, that by the end of the year, Lily will hate you even more", he threw his arms out to demonstrate just how much Lily would have to hate James, "If that's possible".

"I bet she will!" said James, "I mean, she will go out with me".

"Whatever you say Prongs!" Sirius smiled, "Ten galleons!"

"Your on", James said.

"Good", agreed Sirius.

"Wait! You don't even have ten galleons!" James exclaimed, right before he stumbled over the edge off the cliff.

"James! No!" cried Peter.

"James?!" yelped Sirius.

"James?" called Remus, edging towards the end of the cliff.

"Moony, there's nothing we can-" started Sirius.

"Oi! You lot, I'm still alive you know!" called James's voice from over the cliff.

"James!" Sirius ran towards the cliff edge and looked over.

He saw James lying a few feet below, sopping wet, in the middle of the stream. Sirius reached over the grassy ledge and grabbed James by the arm in an attempt to help him up. He was leaning down quite far, and before he knew it, James had hauled him into the stream as well.

"Prongs!" cried Sirius, trying to stand in the water but falling over with laughter, "These are my favourite shoes!"

"Shut up", said James, "You sound like a drama queen."

"But Mr Potter, I am a drama queen!" Sirius put his hand to his forehead and pretended to fall backwards into James's arms, who quickly recoiled, leaving Sirius to land in the water.

"Alright ladies, having fun?" asked Remus from above, "Get back up here."

" _Fine Moony_ ", moped Sirius.

"Are you afraid we're going to get a cold?" asked James, faking a worried look as he clambered up the steep bank behind Sirius.

"You could", said Peter as an afterthought.

"Not you too Pete", sighed Sirius, "He's been corrupted by Moony's anti-fun campaign."

"Alas", James shook his head, "Another poor soul lost."

"He was too young", Sirius grabbed Peter and held his head, "Too young!"

"Geroff!" mumbled Peter, his voice muffled through Sirius's hug.

The small boy pushed his friend away, as Sirius and James laughed.

"Yes, I absolutely hate fun, which is why I wanted to be friends with you lot..." Remus sighed.

"We have to cure Remus, Prongs", smiled Sirius.

"I agree", said James slyly.

Before Remus knew which way was up, he found himself tumbling down the cliff and into the stream, Sirius and James having just pushed him.


	4. Head Boy

"Sirius! James!", called a seemingly distant voice, "Come on guys, get up".

Sirius rolled over onto his back and groaned, couldn't he just sleep a few more minutes.

"Get up now or you'll be subjected to my revenge" said someone, yes, Remus, that's who it was, "Because this time I'll make you!"

Sirius could not work out what Remus was on about, until he remembered pushing his friend into the stream.

"Ah! Merlin Remus!" said Sirius in surprise, "What's wrong with you? It's not event that-"

He was going to say late, but when he saw that he had slept in to eleven, he thought Remus actually had a pretty fair argument. As Sirius looked around, Remus proceeded to shake James awake.

"Thanks to you two", Remus looked unhappy, "I now have a cold."

"And to think he was worried about us", James smiled.

"Why did you come and wake us up anyway?" asked Sirius lethargically.

"Because our book lists have arrived", said Remus.

So, on hearing this new, Sirius and James slowly got changed and went down stairs.

"Good morning boys" said Mrs Potter.

"You two are up late this morning", remarked Mr Potter, "Even for you, Sirius. You two didn't stay awake all night, did you?"

"Almost, not to mention having a swim", Remus said.

"You mean they fell into the stream, don't you?", Mrs Potter shook her head and smiled, "Here are you letters."

"Thanks, Mrs Potter", said Sirius between mouthfuls of bacon.

He ripped the top open, as did James, Remus and Peter. He unfolded the pieces of parchment inside, there was the usual reminder that the new school year started on the first of September. There was another notice about the seventh year N.E.W.T.s (Naughtily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), which made both Sirius and James groan at the thought of all the study and homework. After this there was his booklist. He turned his envelope upside down to see if he had emptied it out, and when he discovered he had, he looked up across the table. Remus was looking a little disappointed.

"What's wrong Moony?" inquired Sirius.

"I didn't get Head Boy", Remus stated glumly, returning to his letter.

"Oh well", said Sirius slowly, "I bet that idiot from Ravenclaw got it".

"Sirius, if he's in Ravenclaw, I don't think he would be an idiot as such", Remus explained.

"What I mean, is that he's a big prat", Sirius tried to make his point, "You know who I mean don't you James? That Wally, or William, or whatever his name is... James?"

James had not answered. In fact he was not doing much at all, which was quite unusual for him. He was facing away from his friends, and appeared to be staring at something in his hand.

"Did little Jamesy get a nasty paper cut?" teased Sirius at his motionless friend.

"Head Boy..." mumbled James.

"What?" asked Sirius.

"I-I don't believe this... It must be a mistake...No way..." James trailed off again, "Guys?"

"Yes James, what is it you are now dying to tell us, that you were not so willing to divulge when we actually asked?" Sirius questioned dramatically.

"I'm Head Boy..." said James quietly.

"What?" Laughed Sirius, "James, do actually expect us to believe this one? I mean really, even Wormtail's not _that_ gullible".

"Hey-"

"James come here, give me a look", said Sirius, finally striding over to James.

"I'm Head Boy!" said James, in shock.

Sirius reached James. When he saw the little badge with the words 'Head Boy' on it, he nearly feel over.

"Guys, you're not going to believe me, but he's telling the truth", Sirius stood in awe.

"What!" cried Remus, before knocking over his chair to get a better look, "I don't believe it".

"Oh James!" said Peter squeakily, "I knew you would get it!"

"Boys? is everything okay in there?" called Mrs Potter from the kitchen. She came in to see the four boys staring at the badge in James's hand, "Oh James, sweetie, you got Head Boy! How wonderful!"

Mrs Potter gave her son a huge hug, as James sat there transfixed, apparently unaware of his mother's sloppy kiss on his cheek.

"Euphemia? What's wrong?" said a concerned looking Mr Potter from the doorway.

"Nothing dear, James has got Head Boy!" said Mrs Potter jubilantly to her husband.

"Ha ha, that's funny dear but real- He did!" Mr Potter was evidently surprised, "Well done, son! I always knew you had it in you".

Sirius decided to leave the dining room, to give the Potters' time alone to celebrate. Remus followed, going back to get Peter, who was still staring at the spectacle in amazement.

 **##**

"I can't believe I got Head Boy" said James for what must have been the fiftieth time that day, while sitting in the lounge room after dinner.

"We know James", sighed Remus, "We can't entirely believe it ourselves".

"James, you need to stop going on about it now", added Sirius, "If you're after a congratulatory kiss from us, don't get your hopes up. But if you want, we could give you a foot rub-"

"Or a manicure", chimed in Remus.

"Or a plaque with your name on it at the Ministry", smirked Sirius.

"Really?" asked Peter.

"No, not really", Sirius said condescendingly to Peter, before turning to James, "I suppose now you're Head Boy, you can't hang around people like us. Maybe Moony, but us two? I don't think so. Peter's too stupid. And me, well I'm too handsome, and cool, and stylish, and perfect, and handsome, and skilled at everything, and smart, and handsome, and funny as well".

"I think you left something out there", said Remus.

"And what would that be? Handsome?" asked Sirius.

"No. I mean vein, and arrogant, and obsessed with yourself", Remus stated.

"Well, changing the subject from my very minimal and uncommon flaws", said Sirius quicklu, "What the ruddy hell was Dumbledore thinking?!"

"I have no idea", said Remus, shaking his head sadly.

"Maybe he's like your _'rabbit'_ , Moony", mused Sirius, "He must be getting on a bit. Maybe it was a short lapse of sanity, and he picked James instead of you".

"Hey!" said James indignantly, "When he chose me for Head Boy he had a stroke of genius!"

"Or possibly just a stroke", thought Sirius, "No genius included".

"Whatever happened", Remus stated, "Things will definitely be different from now on.


	5. Golden Light

"Sirius, have you got everything?" asked Mrs Potter.

"Yes", said Sirius.

"James? What about you?" he heard her ask her son over the noisy crowd clambering onto the scarlet steam engine.

"Yeah Mum, don't worry", said James as Mrs Potter gave him a big hug, "Gerroff Mum, I need to go".

Sirius smiled at his friend's embarrassment as Mrs Potter turned to him.

"Sirius, dear, don't get into too much trouble, and don't do anything too dangerous", she said to him.

"Why would I do something like that?" Sirius joked, before giving Mrs Potter, the closest person he had to a mother, a hug and saying good bye.

Sirius helped push James's trunk up onto the train, receiving help from Mr Potter with his own trunk. This would be the last time he started a new Hogwarts year and he was feeling strangely nostalgic. He and James reached their compartment, where Remus and Peter were already sitting, along with the Prewett twins.

"Hey everybody!" said Sirius cheerfully.

"Ready for another exciting year?" asked James sarcastically, "Full of exams and study and homework, as well as our N.E.W.T.s!"

"Not really", said Gideon.

"By the way", said James, "I'm Head Boy!"

"No way!" exclaimed the twins together.

"Yes way", replied Sirius, "We couldn't exactly believe it ourselves. Of course, we expected Remus to get it. He's been bitter ever since he found out-"

"Shut up Sirius", said Remus snappily, "I'm very happy for James, maybe now he will become more mature".

"Not a chance of that!" said James excitedly, "Now that I run the place, I can do what ever I like, whenever I like, and however I want to do it".

"Not likely", said Remus quietly.

The compartment grew quiet. Sirius noticed that the twins looked happy and somewhat excited, and had the air of people waiting to tell some news.

"We forgot to write", burst out Fabian.

"But Molly's had the baby!" announced Gideon.

"And it's a little boy-"

"Named Percy", he finished after Fabian.

"Percy! What a- um- pretty name", said Sirius sheepishly.

"That's great!" James congratulated them.

"Another boy. Is that their third?", asked Remus.

"Sure is, I think Molly had been hoping for a girl", elaborated Fabian.

"Her and Arthur are thrilled either way", smiled Gideon.

"Nearly forgot!" Remus remarked, looking at his battered wrist watch "James, we have to go."

"What?" asked James.

"To the prefect meeting", explained Remus, "Now that you're Head Boy, you have to come as well."

"What! Oh well", James grumbled, "Better get going for the goody-two-shoes convention".

"Have fun!" called Sirius as James followed Remus out of the compartment.

"We told Frank we'd go and give him the latest issue of _Which Broomstick_ ", said Fabian.

"Bye", said Gideon.

Sirius was left sitting all alone in the compartment with Peter, who was looking through his trunk for something. He kept moving his clothes around, searching.

"What are you looking for, Wormtail?" Sirius inquired.

"My sandwiches", sighed Peter, "Mum said I had to pack some from James's house, and that I couldn't have anything from the trolley."

"Not to worry, Pete", said Sirius, "I'll get you something."

"But I'm hungry now, and their corn beef, my favourite", Peter explained.

"Fine, give your trunk here, I'll help", Sirius moved so that he knelt beside the trunk on the floor.

He began to rummage through Peter's school trunk with the aid of his small friend. There was soon a mess of socks and school robes inside the trunk, and a portion of that spread on the floor. There was no sign of Peter's sandwiches anywhere, and just as Sirius was about to give up, a warm, bread-like something touched his left hand. Sirius grabbed his friend's sandwiches and reefed them out from underneath the large Herbology volume they had been wedged beneath. The sandwich was freed, and as Sirius brought it from the trunk, it sailed out of his hands, through the air, and out of the compartment doorway. Outside the compartment someone let out a small yell of surprise.

Peter and Sirius looked at each other, worried about who they might of hit with their delicious projectile. Sirius stood up, brushed a stray sock from his leg, and moved cautiously out of the compartment. In the compartment opposite him, someone was bending over, examining what he suspected to be Peter's sandwiches on the ground. The person in question was a girl, wearing a dark blue T-shirt with the Six Jinxes logo on the back. Sirius instantly recognised Ariella Hartley.

"Sorry about that", he said to her back.

"What- Oh, Sirius, it's you", Ariella turned around, startled.

"And that was Peter's sandwich, do you mind if I have it back?" Sirius asked.

"Sure", Ariella picked up the sandwiches from the empty compartment into which they had flown, and handed the to him, "I've never been one for corn beef, and besides, it hit me in the face."

"Merlin, sorry, that was me", Sirius apologised.

"No, no, I'm sure I'll get over it," Ariella said, "Why where you throwing a sandwich around anyway."

"Well obviously I didn't mean to", Sirius began, "Peter had lost them in his trunk, and I was helping him look, and I found it, grabbed it out, and sort of let go."

"I see.." Ariella said, looking into Sirius's compartment.

Peter was inside, packing things back into his trunk. As Ariella peered through the door, Sirius was distracted by the light in her hair, which was down around her shoulder's for once. She looked pretty, more carefree than usual.

"Sirius?" Ariella asked him, snapping him to attention, "You do realise you could have just used a Summoning Charm, don't you?"

Realising his own stupidity, Sirius laughed. Ariella and Peter did too, and Sirius could not help but notice the crinkles around Ariella's eyes as she laughed.

"I need to go, sorry", Ariella said, adjusting her brown shoulder bag, "I was actually on my way to meeting Kass down the other end of the train."

"Better let you get going then", Sirius said happily, standing to one side of the corridor to let her pass.

"See you", Ariella gave him a small smile, which nevertheless managed to light up her warm blue eyes.

The brown haired girl walked away down the train's corridor, and Sirius watched her go, the light still igniting her hair, making look as if it where gold.

When he returned to his compartment, Sirius realised he had failed to notice James and Remus return from their Prefect meeting. Remus was taking a book out of his trunk, and Peter was sitting patiently, still waiting for his sandwiches.

"Here you go, Wormtail", Sirius said, throwing the food to his friend, who began to unwrap and eat it at once.

As Sirius sat down opposite Remus, he noticed that James had a glazed look in his eye. He seemed far away, yet happy nonetheless.

"What happened to him?" asked Sirius, bewildered.

"What happened, was the Head Girl", said Remus.

"He finally found someone he loves more than _Evans_?" Sirius was shocked.

"No! The Head Girl _is_ Lily", said Remus exasperatedly.

"Oh, well, I can believe that", said Sirius, it was fair enough.

"It's great", James smiled, his mind returning to the compartment, "I really think Evans will do a good job at this."

"Of course you do," Sirius sighed.

"No, I mean it", James defended himself, "I really think she'll do some good for the school, not like the last two, they were shocking."

"James is right", Remus piped up, "Lily's sensible, but she's passionate too, she'll get the job done."

"You'll be great too, James", Peter said, taking a break from his sandwich.

"I don't know Pete", James looked slightly doubtful, "I think I might need to try a fair bit to be that good. I will try though."

James's gaze drifted back out to the sunny landscape beyond the carriage window, a slightly furrowed brow replacing his earlier daze. Peter began to munch on his corn beef sandwich in quiet contention, and Remus opened his book and began reading, his caramel eyes moving quickly from side to side, devouring the words. Sirius looked out at the green hills, stained golden by the afternoon sun, the same light that had tangled itself in Ariella's long hair. Sirius found it strange that he could not stop thinking about the image of her blue eyes and hair in the sunshine. He felt warm inside too, happy from his earlier encounter from her. He suddenly came to notice his tiredness, and drifted into a soft sleep.


	6. Hogwarts Resolution

Sirius walked into the Great Hall, followed by Remus, for Breakfast the next morning. He and his friends had arrived at the Hogsmead station on time the previous night, and had proceeded through the dark to the castle. At the welcome feast they watched many minute first-years be sorted into their respective houses. Students had muttered when seeing their new Head Boy and Girl, questioning their ability to work together, complaining about the fact that they were both Gryffindors. Meanwhile, James was sitting with Peter, talking animatedly about the mechanics of catching a Snitch.

"James, we know how to roll the wrist whist trying to catch the Snitch form the side, okay", said Remus.

"I think we could probably be better Seekers than Andrea by now", agreed Sirius, "With all those lengthy tips you've been giving us."

A few minutes into his porridge, Sirius spotted McGonagall moving down the Gryffindor table, handing out timetables. After she gave his to him, as well as handed one to each of his friends, they all left the Great Hall for lessons. Sirius was crossing the Entrance Hall, expecting his three friends to follow, when James pulled him aside.

"Before we start lessons and everything..." said James rather seriously, "I want to make something clear. I'm- well, I'm Head Boy now, and- and I want to start acting like it".

"James, I want to make something clear as well", Sirius said slowly, "You are acting like an idiot".

"No, I just mean, I want to be a bit more responsible from now on", James explained, "I love joking around and stuff, but I've realised that sometimes you need to be a bit more serious".

"Excuse me, I am as Sirius as they come", Sirius cracked a very well repeated joke.

"Now isn't the time, I'm trying to explain this to you", James seemed frustrated.

"I know what you mean", said Sirius coldly, "I just can't believe that it's you who is saying it".

"Personally, I'm not surprised", said Remus smugly from behind them, "After all, James acting more responsible as Head Boy would be something Lily approves of".

"Oh, that makes more sense", agreed Sirius, "But James, really, I have been through some crazy stuff to try and help you win over Evans. Last year, the whole thing with me distracting them at the lake, which ended up failing, and you and Lily half drowned. But this? I can't just change my whole lifestyle. I am a natural prankster".

"Please", James half begged.

"No, I think its complete- let me get back to you on that", Sirius turned his head to see Ariella walking across the Entrance Hall to her friend, Kass.

Sirius was not sure why, but certainly wanted to talk to Ariella. Not about anything in particular, but he wanted to see how her holidays had gone, and he wanted to catch her before she reached her friend; Kass did not have a very high opinion of Sirius.

"Hey", he smiled as she stopped to talk.

"Hey Sirius", Ariella greeted him, "What lesson do you have first?"

"Potions", sighed Sirius glumly, "Hopefully we'll be doing something interesting."

"I've got astronomy", Ariella stated, "With Remus, I think."

"Ah, yes, well you can't look at too many stars right now can you?" Sirius smirked, "I keep trying to tell dear Remus the same thing, but alas, he is deaf to me."

"Whatever you say", Ariella chuckled, "But we do other things beside looking at stars."

"Like what?" Sirius asked her.

"Like studying the movement of planets, the moon too", Ariella explained.

"Yes, Remus is quite interested in the moon, you know", Sirius laughed internally, but was careful not to arouse suspicion on his friend's part.

"I know", Ariella agreed, "He did an essay on it last year, got the best mark in the class."

"Well, that's him", Sirius said, "Always an over-achiever. Something which James is sadly looking at becoming..."

"What are you on about?" Ariella questioned him.

"He wants to take take up responsibility and be a better person", Sirius said, "All to do with being Head Boy."

"That's not too bad", said Ariella, "I think he can do it- and be the same James too."

"I know he's going to be the same, I just mean- I want to be able to joke around with my best mate too", Sirius elaborated.

"You will be able to", Ariella assured him, "And besides, you know who Head Girl is."

"I know, and that's what worries me", Sirius began.

"It wouldn't be so bad, Sirius, for James and Lily to be together", Ariella told him, somewhat firmly, "I personally think you'd like having a new friend around, with Lily, you know. And besides, she'd be able to keep James away from any real trouble, so you can keep doing whatever mad things you do without worrying over James and whether he's going to break his neck."

"I'm the clumsy one, you know", Sirius reminded her.

"Not really, just spatially unaware", Ariella looked at him for a moment, before turning, "I have to go and look at the currently invisible stars, so I'll see you around."

"See you", Sirius watched as Ariella walked away, he felt a strange pang in his chest.

Sirius returned to find only James waiting for him. Remus disappeared around the same corner Ariella had just gone behind, and Peter had headed off for the library, having a free lesson yet again.

"James", Sirius started, "I understand it, okay. Go and be responsible or whatever."

"Thanks mate", James said as they began down the stairs for the dungeons, "Besides, I have to stay cool too. Otherwise I'd end up being a bookish sod like Moony."

"And Evans might warm up to you too, hey", Sirius nudged his friend.

"Maybe", James sighed, "But I actually do owe these people something, now that I'm a leader. I want to do good for them."

"Well, I'll help you James", Sirius agreed, "Even if I die of boredom."


	7. The Eagle had Landed, I Mean Crashed

Sirius's head was very jumbled by Halloween. It seemed no amount of preparation could have steeled them against the amount of homework and revision they were doing. Sirius had always joked that he wouldn't go back for seventh year. Now he wished he had taken his joke more literally. N.E. certainly lived up to their name. The first Hogwarts term wasn't even over and Sirius was already feeling as if a Grindylow had dragged him through the Black Lake. Ten times. Every day of the week.

Remus was unusually calm for some reason. Remus was easily stressed during times of assessment and study. But he seemed to be coping well. Although that may have been something to do with the large blocks of chocolate he had been consuming over his homework every night.

Even James was actually working for once. Yes he did always do the essential homework. But now Sirius had started being forced by his best friend to sit and revise with him. When James talked about cleaning up his act at the start of the year, Sirius thought he would probably give up in a bit. However, James was steadily becoming more and more responsible. Sirius hadn't seen the inside of the kitchens all term. But by James keeping up his new Head Boy habits, Sirius had been talking to Ariella even more of late. He kept finding himself staring at the back of her head in classes, and his heart would jump a little when she said hello. Lily was not feeling anything of this sort for James though, and had kept a solemn stance around him at all meetings, and on any patrols she had with him.

Peter was not coping well at all. He only had three subjects to study for, but it turned out that McGonagall had it in her mind that she would work him relentlessly, until he was ready to get an Outstanding in all three. He spent most of his time in the library with Remus. If McGonagall caught him having a break she'd snap at him to get back to work. He had almost cried last time. But the problem was solved with some chocolate from Remus. Willingly given, strangely enough.

On top of all this work and confusion, the first Quidditch match of the season was coming fast. James had held the tryouts in the second week of term. Training was getting brutal, with rainy weather picking up. But the team had not yielded yet. It seemed, since the replacement of McCormack with Lacombe last year, Gryffindor had quite the dream team, and all the same people had been chosen for this year. The Beaters were hitting the bludgers back so that the iron orbs flew across the pitch like cannon balls. James and the Prewetts were passing the quaffle in fast and fluent movements. And they had to get Billson to play Keeper for practice with the Chasers, because with Sirius, they just couldn't get the Quaffle in.

They were confident with their performance, so when the day of the match dawned, the team was up bright and early with excitement. Down in the changing rooms James was giving them advice for playing today.

"Today we've got some shocking weather. There is probably more water falling form the sky than there is in the Lake. So visibility is a big problem. Watch out for other players, or you could get fouled for trying to knock them off their broom. Oh, and Sirius, try not to run into anymore bludgers or goalposts today like you did last year", James added, "If you use the tactics we've been practising we should have a clear shot at the win. So get out there!".

With that, the team slung their brooms over their shoulders and exited the changing rooms. As soon as Sirius walked out, he was almost pushed into James by the wind. His best friend had been right, the weather was shocking. But a Quidditch game had never been called off because of a silly little thing like a storm with a high possibility of causing death. Sirius could hardly hear the crowd's cheering over the howling of the rain.

The Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams struggled to the centre of the pitch. Once James and the Ravenclaw captain shook hands and the whistle was blown, Sirius took off from the ground with the rest of the team.

Thirty minutes into the match and Gryffindor was in the lead. Sirius was sure these were the worst conditions he had ever played in. He had already let in two goals due to low visibility. He searched the sky above for Andrea or the Snitch, but saw nothing. Turning his head back to the pitch before him, he couldn't see much there either. But- wait. He could just make out some dark and fuzzy shapes coming towards him. Three large blobs were coming through the downpour. The blobs started to swerve. Sirius realised that they were actually all three Ravenclaw Chasers, bearing down on him in a messy arrowhead formation. He got ready to block the Quaffle. But before any of them could make a move, a black rounded object collided with one Chaser's head. A bludger.

Over the thundering deluge, Sirius could hear Frank calling out over the commentary about Billson. But the action was not over yet. It seemed the first chaser had collided with the other two. Sirius watched as they sank lower to the ground, in a mid-air struggle, before all smashing into the left goalpost with a loud metallic clang. To add to the commotion, Andrea soared down through the now lightening rain, with her fist raised. She had finally caught the Snitch.

Both teams were safely on the muddy ground when the crowd swarmed the pitch. The rain had lightened considerably, and was now lightly drizzling down on their heads. Sirius shook the water from his hair and suddenly became aware of the thousands of hands patting his back and reaching out for a hug. They had won their first match for the season.

Twenty minutes later, the team and the rest of Gryffindor house was in the Common Room (after a quick mud fight in the grounds). The rain may have dampened their robes, but it had not dampened their spirits, and there was soon a full force post-match party going on. The music was thundering loudly out of the old gramophone and the little coloured musical notes rose out of the funnel in time with the beat. Butterbeer, pumpkin juice, and Honey Dukes sweets were passed around, causing more noise as people became more and more affected by their sugary properties.

Sirius was laughing with the Prewett twins, when he noticed that James had cornered Lily at the drink table.

"Not again!" said Gideon.

"Surely he should have realised she isn't interested by now", agreed Fabian, as the three of them watched the spectacle.

"Any minute now", said Sirius in a dull voice, "She'll go off in three- two- one-"

"Potter! I told you I don't want any more pumpkin juice!" the vehement redhead shouted, "And if you keep insisting that I dance with you, you are most likely to end up with it poured all over your head!"

Sirius laughed freely as James approached him and the twins, who were trying to cover up their amusement.

"I just asked her for a dance", said James confusedly.

"James, you're a terrible dancer", said Sirius, "She just didn't want her toes stood on, that's all"

"Whatever", said James dismissively.

"Don't worry, James", Sirius said apologetically, "Keep up the Head Boy act and Lily may warm up to you a little, Mr Pumpkin juice."


End file.
